Altra Provision 8 review

We recommend the eighth edition of the Altra Provision for:

• Altra enthusiasts seeking a true zero-drop experience with enhanced stability, making it more accommodating than a typical neutral design.
• Midfoot and forefoot strikers exploring their first 0-mm drop shoe—this model offers extra support, making it ideal for beginners.
• Anyone in need of a low-drop daily trainer that provides just the right amount of stability for everyday use.

In our tests, we noted that the Provision 8 may lack sufficient cushioning for marathon training. However, the Altra VIA Olympus 2, featuring a superior EGO MAX midsole and a higher stack height, excels during long runs. And despite its classification as a neutral shoe, it offers enough support for anyone with moderate stability issues.

We also believe zero-drop enthusiasts seeking a more natural running experience might find the Provision series a bit cumbersome. If that’s the case, we recommend considering the Altra Escalante 4. While it’s not as stable, its lower stack and minimalist ride could be a worthwhile trade-off.

In our measurements, the heel stack of the Provision 8 registered at 26.0 mm, falling short of both our lab's average and the official 28-mm specification.

Despite this slight variation, we think that the thickness is still sufficient due to Altra's focus on encouraging midfoot or forefoot striking. Their design approach generally lessens the importance of heel cushioning.

We anticipated a measurement in the forefoot similar to the heel due to the zero-drop design, and indeed, our findings confirmed it at 25.8 mm.

This measurement is also quite average and aligns well with the shoe's intended use as a daily trainer.

While Altra has introduced the 4-mm Experience Flow, which diverges from their traditional zero-drop design, most of their shoes, including the Provision 8, continue to embrace the flat offset. And we were pleased to discover that the Provision 8 maintains nearly zero drop, with only a negligible 0.2 mm deviation.

This slight variance is well within manufacturing tolerances—akin to the thickness of 4 or 5 stacked human hairs! In fact, we're impressed by such a close result.

The midsole of the shoe utilizes Altra's EGO foam, an EVA-based material common in most of their mid-tier offerings. As expected, there's no upgrade to EGO Pro or EGO Max in this model. Damn!

The ride quality is neither too firm nor too plush, striking a balance that supports stability—a core aspect of Altra's DNA. Our hardness measurement of 20.3 HA accurately reflected our perception of the midsole's feel, and we're happy about that because a very soft midsole would compromise the stability the Provision aims to deliver.

Our expectations for the freezer test were moderate as the midsole is fully made from EVA. In this experiment, the foam got 33.9% firmer after spending 20 minutes, which was a bit worse than the average.

Using our caliper, we measured the thickness of the Ortholite sockliner at 4.8 mm. This measurement places it squarely within the average range for road running shoes.

The Provision 8 stays true to Altra's natural-running philosophy, featuring a minimal toe spring that goes unnoticed while running. So, set aside any expectations of a rockered, assisted ride—this shoe is designed for the exact opposite experience.

Oh, and notice those gaps in the midsole, right below the footbed? That’s part of the Innerflex technology we mentioned earlier, and the only way to see it is by cutting the shoe in half—just like we do here in the lab!

The Provision 8 is designed with Altra's Standard FootShape, striking a balance in roominess between the Original and Slim lasts. Despite this, we found the fit to be quite generous and comfortable, though not excessively spacious like other Altras we've tested in the lab.

Our initial measurements yielded 99.8 mm, and we proved why this shoe resembles many everyday trainers in both the arch and ball of the foot areas. But stay tuned for our second measurement...

Altra consistently excels in this area more than any other brand. Their anatomically designed, foot-shaped toebox offers incredible space for toe splay, accommodating even those with very wide feet. Our measurement revealed a staggering width of 88.2 mm in the big toe area.

We also discovered that the shoe provides a generous amount of vertical volume, enhancing comfort during long, hot runs when feet tend to swell significantly.

The Altra Provision 8 is a mild-stability shoe, yet it accommodates neutral runners who appreciate a bit of support, particularly during easy runs. It's also crucial to understand that while it offers some stability features, it is far from being a pure stability shoe like a Hoka Gaviota 5.

From our testing, we noted that the Provision 8 continues to use the non-intrusive GuideRail system, inherited from its predecessors. This feature, manifested as tall sidewalls on the sides of the heel, effectively helps maintain each foot centered with every stride.

We discovered that Altra slightly reduced the torsional rigidity of the Provision 8, which now rates a 3 out of 5, down from the previous 4. However, this change is subtle, barely noticeable, and unlikely to pose any issues in terms of stability.

The heel counter continues to score a 2 out of 5, and we believe this represents kind of a missed opportunity. A slightly stiffer counter would complement the GuideRail system well, providing an even more secure and stable ride.

Consistent with previous versions, the Provision 8 features a forefoot midsole that is broader than average, measuring 117.9 mm in width.

This wider sole significantly enhances stability, which is particularly beneficial for forefoot strikers. While this design choice may slightly compromise agility, it's evident that a supportive running experience is the primary focus in the design of the Provision 8.

We've previously noted that Altra's design philosophy doesn't heavily favor heel striking, a stance not only rooted in their commitment to low-drop designs but also evident in the narrower heels of their neutral shoes and standard widths in their stability-focused models.

Accordingly, the Provision 8, as a mild-stability shoe, features a heel width of 91.1 mm, way less than what's typical for stability running shoes.

We fixed the Provision 8 to our testing bench to gauge the force needed to bend the shoe 90 degrees. The P8 required only 20.4N to flex to our desired angle, showing much greater flexibility compared to the average road shoe. This is excellent news for those who plan to use this shoe for daily activities as well as running!

We discovered that the shoe retained its flexibility even after spending 20 minutes in the freezer, stiffening by just 19.8%. This performance is impressive for EVA foam.

One of the features we appreciated most about the previous version of the Provision was its lightweight design from being a robust daily trainer, tipping the scales at just 9.1 oz. However, we were disappointed to find that the weight has increased to 9.6 oz (273g).

While this increase isn't a deal-breaker—we doubt most runners would notice a 0.5 oz difference and it remains under 10 ounces—we're never happy with unnecessary weight gains, and this appears to be one of them.

Shoes designed for increased stability often compromise on ventilation as the need for enhanced support leads brands to use thicker, more structured uppers to control foot movements.

This is evident in the Provision 8, which we rated a 4/5 for its balance of support and breathability—it didn't achieve the max score, but it performs adequately in all climates.

When we tested the upper against a LED flashlight, we confirmed Altra's focus on stability. There's reasonable ventilation in the toebox, though the light is mostly blocked, showing the density of the material. Surprisingly, it still manages to expel air effectively despite its thickness.

Further examination under our microscope revealed the upper's dual-layer construction, with the thicker, blue layer significantly hindering airflow.

The upper appears robust and well-crafted, though it doesn't match the quality of higher-priced shoes, which is understandable for the Provision 8.

We also noted excellent padding around the Achilles tendon, adding to the shoe's comfort.

A notable advantage of dual-layer mesh uppers is their typically strong durability, which consistently earns good ratings in our lab tests.

Indeed, it met our expectations with a score of 3 out of 5. Although not exceptional, this is a robust result for a daily running shoe. Furthermore, if this shoe had a single-layer upper, it would have achieved maximum breathability scores for sure, but likely at the expense of developing a significant hole during this test.

We tested the heel padding using our Dremel, and unfortunately, the results weren't as positive.

In fact, the Provision 8 scored a disappointing 2 out of 5 in this test, highlighting a significant area for improvement in the next update.

We then shifted our focus to the outsole, which incorporates Altra's beloved FootPod technology. The Innerflex design (yes, they patented it) mimics the bones and flex points of the forefoot, aiming to provide the most natural running experience possible.

While the rubber isn't MaxTrac, typical of Altra's trail shoes, we didn't expect it anyway. However, this standard rubber certainly offers good grip, maintaining the consistent quality of this brand. With a hardness of 79.8 HC on our durometer, its durability appears promising as well.

We did our durability assessment of the Provision 8's outsole using our dremel, setting it to a rapid 10K RPM and applying a force of 3.2N to the shoe.

After a rigorous 20-sec evaluation, our measurements indicated a reduction of 0.8 mm from the outsole's thickness. This result suggests that while the shoe might endure for up to 500 miles for most runners, some wear could be really visible by that milestone.

We also discovered that Altra incorporated substantial rubber below the midsole, measuring 3.0 mm, to enhance durability. This is definitely another plus for the outsole!

2024 was a year marked by price increases across many shoe series, so we were pleased to discover that the Provision 8 maintained its price tag from the previous model. We believe this price is not only fair but also highly competitive in today's market.

Altra typically excels at incorporating reflective elements. This time, though they passed our test with that small piece, we believe there was room for improvement.

Fans of plush uppers will love the Provision's increase in tongue padding from 6.5 mm to 8.3 mm. However, we feel this change is not a good one.

The previous tongue provided ample protection without adding bulk, and considering the increased weight of this model, this adjustment seems like a disappointing trade-off for most runners.

We discovered that the tongue is not fixed to the sides, which is quite disappointing. Although this is a $140 shoe, many others in this price range feature gusseted tongues, so we feel it's time for Altra to made this upgrade in the next version.

Altra typically includes heel tabs on their trail running shoes, yet their road models, like the Provision 8, often lack them. However, we discovered that the heel is slightly extended in a Hoka-esque style, designed to ease pressure on the Achilles area, and we found that you can grab from there if needed.

We noted that the insole of the Provision 8 can be easily removed as it is not fixed to the midsole. Yet, due to the shoe's uniquely toebox shape, fitting a different brand’s insole or custom orthotics might prove challenging for you.